Community Education

Sexual assault is a
crime. It can happen to anyone and is never the fault of the victim.

The experience and impact of sexual
assault is different for everyone but whatever the reaction, it is a normal response to an extreme emotional and
physical violation. It is estimated that one in four girls and one in seven boys will
experience some form of sexual or indecent assault before they reach the age of
18 years.

In most incidences of child sexual assault the perpetrator will be
known to the child, most commonly being a family member, family friend or
trusted community member. The perpetrator will usually use a number of
strategies to make the child believe the violence is their fault or that
telling will lead to something terrible happening. Adults who experienced
childhood sexual assault report that as children they felt they had to ‘be
strong’ and ‘show no fear’. They had to ‘keep all their emotions bottled up’.
Many report hatred and anger at the perpetrator/s and those who should have
protected them. Others report hiding both physically and emotionally. The behaviours
and strategies that children develop in order to resist and survive can continue to
affect them in their adult lives.

While everyone responds differently to being sexually assaulted, there
are some feelings that many adults who experienced childhood sexual assault
talk about:

A feeling of being
in a bubble, feeling different and apart, being emotionally isolated.

Feeling guilt, shame
and self-blame for what has happened.

Having difficulty
trusting themselves and others, as their childhood trust has been betrayed.

Experiencing
‘triggering moments’ such as smells, sounds or situations which bring back
memories.

Feeling the need to
protect others and being over-responsible.

It is Important to Talk About it

You can speak
with one of our qualified counsellors about childhood sexual abuse or a sexual
assault when you are ready, it doesn’t matter how long ago the abuse occurred.

I have been raped/ sexually assaulted. What happens now?

It’s your choice what
happens. You can access any or all or none of these services

1. The Police

Do I have to report it to
the police?

You do not have to report the crime to police. The Women’s
Centre can provide you with the support you need to report the sexual assault
to police if you choose to, or provide you with the information you need to
decide about whether you would like to report to police.

The purpose of a forensic
examination is to collect evidence and document any injuries which have
occurred as a result of the sexual assault.

No-one is forced to
undertake a forensic examination. Victims have a right to be provided with
information about the forensic examination, to make an informed choice about
whether they wish to proceed or not, and then provide consent for the
examination to go ahead if this is their choice. Consent can be withdrawn at
any stage of the forensic examination.

Consenting to a forensic
examination means that the victim has decided to make a complaint to the police
regarding the sexual assault. A forensic examination can provide vital
evidence, and may be a significant part of the criminal investigation process.
Forensic evidence usually forms part of the brief of evidence being brought
against the person (or persons) charged with the sexual assault(s) and is
presented to the court when the case is listed for a committal hearing and/or
trial.

Forensic evidence can be
quite easily lost from the body, through showering, bathing, going to the
toilet, eating and drinking. The highest
quality forensic evidence is collected within 72 hours after a sexual assault,
or sooner. However, depending on the types of sexual acts perpetrated against
the victim, and despite the elapsed time, it may still be possible to collect
evidence up to 7 days after the sexual assault.

A forensic examination
requires the victim to tell the forensic examiner (a specially trained doctor
or nurse) what happened throughout the sexual assault so that specific parts of
the victim’s body will be examined
allowing evidence to be collected
and documented.

A forensic examination can
be a lengthy process and, depending on the nature of the sexual assault, may
require an examination of the victim’s mouth, breasts, genital area and anus.
It may involve taking some swabs and collecting evidence from within the
vagina. Throughout each stage of the process, the victim is informed about how
the examination will proceed and can ask for the examination to stop.

As well as documenting the
examination, the forensic examiner will make note of any injuries on the
victim’s body. In most cases, there will be no visible injuries, but injuries
that could be found include bruises, grazes, redness, swelling or scratches.
Any concerns about pregnancy or questions about sexually transmitted infections
can be discussed with the forensic examiner with referral options provided.

As with all processes
following sexual assault, the safety and support of the victim are paramount,
so the forensic examination must be a respectful process which upholds victims’
rights and dignity, and restores control and autonomy to the victim through
providing high quality care and facilitating choice and empowerment.

3. Forensic Medical Examination

What happens if I have a
forensic examination?

At a hospital you can have a forensic examination which is a
medical examination that can only be conducted by specially trained doctors and
nurses. Its purpose is to collect any physical evidence that may be used as
evidence against the accused if criminal charges are laid. You can request that
a person of your choice - such as a friend or social worker to support you
during the examination.

It is important that victims of sexual assault seek medical
assistance to treat any physical or psychological injuries, regardless of
whether the assault was recent or occurred some time ago.

The victim of a recent sexual assault should seek immediate medical assistance.

Medical care can involve dealing with the psychological impact of sexual
assault, physical injuries, any concerns about pregnancy or sexually
transmitted infections, and possible forensic examinations (to collect any
physical evidence that may be used if criminal charges are laid). Please note
that morning after pills are most effective taken within 72 hours of the
assault. Victims of sexual assault should ideally have a forensic medical examination
within 72 hours of a sexual assault, but it can be done up to a week after.

5. Victims Compensation – A victim of crime is defined under the Victims of Crime Assistance Act 2009 as
anyone who has been injured by an act of violence committed against them in
Queensland (s27).

An injury can be physical or psychological. A victim of crime is eligible to receive financial assistance
from Victim Assist Queensland to help in the recovery from the act of violence.

An act of violence is a crime or a series of related crimes,
committed by one or more people in Queensland (s25). An example of a related
crime is two or more crimes that have been committed by the same person over a
period of time.

Adult survivors of Child sexual assault

A child who has
experienced sexual assault is taught that the adult’s needs come first. Many
adults who experienced childhood sexual assault have difficulty asserting
themselves. Many feel they have to look after everyone over and above their own
needs. Often feeling
depressed, angry, fearful and anxious and feeling like they are always on
guard.

Eating problems, such
as starving, bingeing, vomiting food, or overeating.

Avoidance of sex,
promiscuity, or experiencing fear and ‘flashbacks’.

Being a ‘workaholic’,
over exercising, or other compulsive behaviours.

Engaging in self-harm.

Repeatedly thinking
about wanting to die.

For some, the
childhood experience of violence leads to mental health impacts in adulthood.
It is important to remember that the impacts are a result of childhood
experiences of sexual assault, and not because the adult has a personality
disorder or is defective in some way.

Recovery from
childhood sexual assault is difficult. Recovery does not mean forgetting what
has happened - a person who has experienced sexual assault will never forget.
It does mean recovering to the point where the violence becomes an experience
in that person’s life, not an event that controls and dominates their life.

What is Child Sexual Assault?

Any act of a sexual
nature, or sexual threat, or exhibition of sexual behaviours, imposed on a
child under the age of 16 years a serious crime. Those who sexually assault
children take advantage of the child’s trust, innocence and vulnerability.
Child sexual assault is committed against both girls and boys. Statistics show
the perpetrator is most often a family member or a person known to the child.

What
to do if you suspect or you child tells you that she/he has
been sexually assaulted ?

When a child discloses
sexual assault to a parent or caregiver, it’s important the child receives
considerable support and reassurance. Children need to hear from their parent
or caregiver that it is NOT their fault, that they did the right thing in
disclosing, that they are not in trouble, and that the parent or care giver
will do everything they can to protect and support the child from here on.

Hearing a child
disclose sexual assault is shocking and overwhelming, particularly if the
perpetrator is a partner, family member or friend. The disclosure will often
leave the parent or caregiver feeling hurt and angry that their trust has been
betrayed. It is common to feel guilty for not being able to protect the child,
which is why it’s crucial to remember the perpetrator is the only person
responsible for what has happened.

Sometimes children who
have been sexually assaulted find it hard to disclose due to fear, not being
able to articulate what is happening to them, or often because the perpetrator
has made some sort of threat to keep them quiet. Children may not disclose what
has happened for some time. Sometimes they may use other ways of letting an
adult know which can include unusual and sudden behaviour changes such as
tantrums, expressions of fear of strangers or the dark, wetting the bed,
sexually explicit play, not wanting to go to school or play with friends or
attend family outings. More than anything, the child needs support, comfort and
love, for now and in the future.

Children and young
people cope best when their family and environment is calm, caring and
accepting. A child who has been sexually assaulted may need medical treatment
and if the last assault was recent forensic evidence may be available to assist
Police. It is important that counselling options are made available for the
child, and for their supporters as everyone who cares about the child will be
impacted by the sexual assault. The child Safety will need to be informed and
they will assist in ensuring safety for the child and other children the
perpetrator may have access to.

About the sexual assault service

Funded through Queensland
Department of Communities Program Domain: Family Support Initiative: Sexual
Assault Services

Outreach

The
Sexual Assault Service provides outreach counselling to the rural centres of
Ayr, Ingham and Charters Towers each month.
The issues that women have identified in these communities include and
are not limited to, lack of transport, lack of specialist services, geographic
isolation, wanting to relocate to another town, inability to remain anonymous,
and on-going contact with the perpetrator due to residing in a small town.

Our
service is well used, and women report feeling safe talking with someone
outside their own community.

To
make an appointment to talk to a counsellor in the following centres, please
email us
nqcws@thewomenscentre.org.au, or
call 07 4775 7555 during office hours

Townsville Women’s
Correctional Centre

A
sexual assault counsellor from The Women’s Centre visits the Townsville Women’s
Correctional Centre for an afternoon each week to offer ongoing counselling,
support, information and education to women.
Currently the demand for this counselling exceeds the time available during
one afternoon per week, and the waiting list to see the counsellor is growing.

This
is a free service provided to the correctional facility by the Townsville
Sexual Assault Service.